The dress rehearsal is the final walk through to work out the kinks of any production. Fine tuning, final adjustments, and logistical assignments are all finalized. The dress rehearsal is not the time or place for drastic overhauls. Brazil is undergoing stadium building and arena renovations at a drastic pace as the country prepares for the 2014 World Cup. In order to make sure things go as smoothly as possible, FIFA and Brazil have arranged a number of dress rehearsals. Practice makes perfect.

Rousseff is applying a formula that, if done in a correct dosage, could be very beneficial for any country. For anyone who follows Brazilian politics, the juxtaposition was surprising: a left-leaning president from the Workers’ Party, which has its roots in the 1980s trade union movement, auctioning off government property to private investors while jilted public servants protested outside.

Yet the scene was no accident. Rousseff has in recent weeks deepened her embrace of the business world while playing hardball with her leftist base, a bold shift she hopes will protect public finances while providing a needed jolt of investment for Brazil’s lackluster economy. Meanwhile, the rest of the world wants to make sure Brazil gets 2014 and Rio 2016 right. After that, all will be forgiven.

Rousseff is applying a formula that, if done in a correct dosage, could be very beneficial for any country. For anyone who follows Brazilian politics, the juxtaposition was surprising: a left-leaning president from the Workers’ Party, which has its roots in the 1980s trade union movement, auctioning off government property to private investors while jilted public servants protested outside.

Yet the scene was no accident. Rousseff has in recent weeks deepened her embrace of the business world while playing hardball with her leftist base, a bold shift she hopes will protect public finances while providing a needed jolt of investment for Brazil’s lackluster economy. Meanwhile, the rest of the world wants to make sure Brazil gets 2014 and Rio 2016 right. After that, all will be forgiven.

Despite huge disagreement and controversy among Mercosul members, President Hugo Chávez met with the leaders of Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay in Brasília Tuesday to formalize Venezuela’s entrance to Mercosul – six years after the oil-rich Caribbean nation’s first attempt to join the trade bloc. The decision to let in Venezuela was taken, controversially, without Paraguay’s approval during that country’s suspension for Former President Fernando Lugo’s impeachment. For those of you keeping score at home, it’s Mercosur in Spanish, and Mercosul in Portuguese.

Is the world ready for Rio? Is Rio ready for the world? Massive infrastructure projects as well as programs to upgrade the performance of Brazilian athletes are under way as Rio counts down to 2016. On the athletic side, if the Brazilian Soccer teams or the Men’s Volleyball team is any indication, Brazil could stand for a good dose of improvement in athletics.

Niches make riches they say. They also say, strike while the iron is hot. A government-backed bank in Brazil is betting $53 million on a strategy to attract the business of South Florida’s growing population of Brazilian expatriates. The iron is hot.